Green pot calls green kettle black
Wish we had put down the coffee before clicking on this one -- now we're wiping off our screen. New York Senator Ron "Gatsby" Wyden visited the Portland area yesterday, bringing with him one of his fellow Republicans, Lisa Murkowski from Palinland. So they go out to the SolarWorld plant in Hillsboro for a tour. They put on lab coats, goggles, the whole works.
Everybody out there is grousing about how the Chinese are undercutting them. And Gatsby tells the reporters that it's illegal. The Chinese government is subsidizing that country's solar industry, and that's not fair! It's cheating! It's a violation of treaties, yada yada yada.
As if the United States weren't doing the same darn thing. SolarWorld got $12 million in state tax credits. The Solyndra scam, with federal money poured into a black hole, is an instant legend. And now here in Portland, SoloPower is getting tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer handouts, including sweetheart loans.
Wyden's remarks get funnier by the month. Starting with "I live in Portland" and "I'm a progressive Democrat," but now moving through the issues as well. "The government is violating your privacy rights, but I can't tell you how." And "The Chinese are cheating by subsidizing solar." Cracks us up.
| Posted at 7:05 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
Even with all the tax subsidies, SolarWorld's stock is worth about 25% of what it was 6 months ago. This is a market that is hot for green tech stocks.
China is just the latest straw man for Congress to blame for our screw-ups. If the Chinese want to manipulate their curency by not selling their debt to the rest of the world because they don't want to be at someone else's mercy, then maybe we should pay attention to them instead of criticizing.
I'm not saying the Chinese don't run debts, but they just don't see throwing money at problems as the solution to everything.
Posted by Steve | October 15, 2011 7:50 AM
The government should not act as a venture capitalist - picking favored companies over others. Its so much easier to gamble with other people's money. This is a program where the politically connected will prosper rather than the better product. Crony Capitalism at its worst.
Oh, and this dream of green jobs has been a disaster in other countries. Look to Spain and how it worked out there.
Posted by John | October 15, 2011 8:00 AM
How is it Wyden plans to capitalize on his perpetuating the Green charade? That to help the Chinese manage their US holdings?
Posted by Abe | October 15, 2011 8:18 AM
Solyndra's business plan was analyzed by DoE and found to be fatally flawed before the Obama Administration approved the $535 million.
Everything worked so well that the collapse was predicted nearly to the day.
So who is going to be held accountable for the approval of a deal known to be a black hole from day one?
An how does Obama get away with going back slapping at their plant when he knows it will all go south real soon?
But never mind this is about solar power and Obama. Assume it is X industry and X president.
We cannot have system that allows investment for political reasons and without consequences. We are ona road to ruin as long as this defect worsens.
Posted by Ben | October 15, 2011 9:39 AM
It is getting scary that the super centralized government of China can respond to market forces sooner, better than the super regulated, so called free market US government. Tell's a lot.
Posted by Lee | October 15, 2011 9:51 AM
Wyden is just another one of the 1%.
Posted by portland native | October 15, 2011 10:41 AM
I guess the only difference is that the Chinese companies are making a profit, whereas every one we're funding has, or is the process of going bankrupt.
Posted by HMLA-267 | October 15, 2011 11:09 AM
He said "black hole!" What kind of "tar baby" is that?
Posted by dman | October 15, 2011 11:19 AM
china is good at making sure the subsidies are spent wisely, whereas here in the usa and portland, the check is written and the money squandered by the time the handshakes are over.
Posted by Sal | October 15, 2011 1:21 PM
We cannot have system that allows investment for political reasons and without consequences....
We also cannot have a system that allows rules to be rigged for political reasons and without consequences.
Posted by clinamen | October 15, 2011 2:50 PM
All these guys are so bought off anymore. It's just way too obvious they don't care about what's best for the country. Just appearances for reelection. I will never vote for another major candidate...2008 was the first time and I'm done forever.
Posted by Jo | October 16, 2011 9:59 PM